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In 1991 Billy and Akaisha Kaderli retired at the age
of 38. Now, into their 3rd decade of this
financially independent lifestyle, they invite you
to take advantage of their wisdom and experience. |
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House Sitting
in Antigua, Guatemala
Billy and Akaisha Kaderli
Those of us who live in
Antigua know her splendid offerings; Photo opportunities everywhere, Maya
culture, great weather, international restaurants, music, amicable residents and
natural beauty. Still, on occasion one might want to go to the beach or back to
our home country to visit family and friends.
What then, do we do with our
home and pets?
We could board our home up
and place our pet into someone else’s care, but that idea doesn’t hold much
appeal. What to do? Recently I was speaking with another expat living in Antigua
and I mentioned opening her home up to house sitters. She gasped at the audacity
of it. “What!? Let a stranger into my home? How could I ever trust them?”
Garden area of
our housesit
But let me share something with you. My
husband, Billy, and I house sat in Antigua and it was a win-win for everyone.
The homeowners spent several months in Canada, and we were able to live in the
grandeur of this Colonial city.
This is how it works.
There are reputable house sitting
organizations offering memberships to sitters and home owners alike. Home owners
list their home on the site, naming the benefits offered (large kitchen, Wifi,
close to the plaza) and the expectation of care (walking the dog, watering the
plants, dealing with the maid). Then they get to choose from hundreds of people
who have applied to house sit. These sitters have a repertoire of skills,
aptitudes and experience along with letters of reference for their character and
for their proven abilities to house sit. Often there is also a police background
check.
Maybe
you want a non-smoking, professional couple who love dogs to take care of
your home and Fifi. You can then sit with a cup of coffee, and write to
these sitters who fit this description along with the list of dates for your
vacation. House sits can range from long weekends to months at a time.
House
sitters who are interested in staying in Antigua will write back to you and
the conversation has begun. You might even choose to Skype them to get a
better sense of your applicant. You may have started out as strangers, but
after a few conversations, you will gain a sense of whether these people
will fit your circumstances or not. Since there is a written code of conduct
for both sitters and home owners alike, the chances are more than excellent
that you will find just the right people to care for your home.
Having house sat for people in various
locations throughout Mexico and Central America, we have found that friendships
form. Since we have done such a good job of caring for their home and pet, we
have been asked to return for another sit time and again. This arrangement is
good for both the house sitter and the home owner.
If you are thinking about taking a vacation
but are concerned about your home or what to do with your houseplants and pets,
you might consider the option of utilizing house sitters. It doesn’t cost
anything to browse, and you just might find a villa in Italy or a flat in NYC
where you might want to stay yourself!
Why not open your life to the world of house
sitting?
For more stories and photos of Guatemala, click
here
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About the Authors
Billy and Akaisha Kaderli are
recognized retirement experts and internationally published authors on
topics of finance, medical tourism and world travel. With the wealth of
information they share on their award winning website RetireEarlyLifestyle.com,
they have been helping people achieve their own retirement dreams since
1991. They wrote the popular books, The
Adventurer’s Guide to Early Retirement and Your
Retirement Dream IS Possible available on their website
bookstore or
on Amazon.com.
Retire
Early Lifestyle appeals to a different
kind of person – the person who prizes their
independence, values their time, and who doesn’t
want to mindlessly follow the crowd.
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